Informational – analytic review of defence news by Defense and Security Policy Center
1. UAF Reformation: Disposal of unusable ammunition
On order # 928-p dated 05/08/09 the Government of Ukraine authorized “UkrSpecExport” (State export-import of military equipment company) to take under control a military station #60, that is located in Gruzevitsa in Khmelnitsk region. It was decided to transfer authority to form on site a temporary Disposal Center for unusable ammunition surplus.
Comment: The base to be handed over for the period of full disposal of ammunition by “Ukroboronservise” that is subsidiary enterprise of “UkrSpecExport”. It’s planned to drain both foreign and state investors’ funds without use of budget money. The Government of Ukraine entrusted MoD to maintain a Center fully operational. By this time over 460 thousand ton of unserviceable ammunition are stored at the all kinds armories and depots throughout a country (10.08.09 MIGnews.com.ua; 10.08.09 ukrinform.ua). On the other hand, due to shortage of funds the MoD is unable to put a needless staff into converter at full-blast because it will definitely exceed expenses planned for this purpose in the year 2009.
2. Professionalism of the UAF: Entrance examinations to UAF Sergeant College
13 Aug 2009 the entrance campaign to UAF Sergeant College have started. The new College is an educational installation with II level of accreditation has become a part of Kharkiv National technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”.
Comment: A new structure consists of two faculties. First one will train medium (company – battalion) level of sergeant staff through studying period of 2.5 years, another one is advanced training with 6 month term. The reformation of Sergeant Center into Military College takes place under implementation of UAF project to build layered architecture of training system for junior command personnel. The reshaping has an aim to mend training system, develop qualification and education and also to build up an entirely new Sergeant Corps. This becomes a next step at the transition of UAF to professional army, create a balance between officers and sergeants in accordance with NATO standards.
3. Professionalism of the UAF: Recruiting of contract soldiers
Recruiting Centers of the Area Command “Pivnich” of Land Force of UAF recruited over 35% of planned number.
Comment: There were contracted 763 youths (plan was 2 267). In particular: Zhitomir Recruiting Center contracted 122 persons; Chernigiv – 131; Kiev -108; Kharkiv and Cherkassy – 106; Poltava – 101 and Sumy – 91. New contractors were assigned to: Army – 345; AF – 226 and Navy – 45. The rest 149 were posted to those units that are under command of the General Staff. Recruiting Centers are new agencies for hiring contract-soldiers for UAF and profiting with totally new approach of selection for military service. This has been proved by the social research “Determination of Priorities that inspire to come for military contract service” carried out by “Defence Line” together with Defense and Security Policy Center. According to this research, the Area Recruiting Centers are currently ranking forth position among those sources, which advertising a military service (i.e.14.97%). At the top (46.8%) are former servicemen, second position (31.33%) occupy friends, peers, and third (15.92%) – broadcasting.
4. Military Education: Defense Attaché Academy establishment
The Government of Ukraine by its resolution #836 dated 05 Aug 2009 has decided to rename the Joint Institute of the National Academy of Ukraine to Defense Attaché Academy.
Comment: Academy establishment is linking to military education reformation in the context of European and Euro Atlantic integration Policy and purposed to strengthen future military cooperation.
5. Combat Training: Staff Exercise without troops
Several Air Mobile and Army Aviation units from Land Force of UAF and AD units from AF of UAF conducted Staff exercise without troops in the period from 10th to 14th Aug 2009. Since the limited funds availability now, such exercise is becoming a main method of training.
Comment: The purpose is to train units for prepare and conduct operations, practice command and control during battle and consolidate team work of staff members’. Limited budget hinders units to have proper practical drills. Minimum planned needs to organize field (troops) exercises in 2009 amounted to 36.3% of defence budget, while now at MoD disposal is only 9.6% (when in 2007 and 2008 was assigned as 14.6% and 15.3% respectively). As a result of cut funding, in this year all tactical exercise of company size units were cancelled (in 2008 over 30 field exercise were conducted). The only Ukrainian Air Force crews of the alert units conduct flights, when Ukrainian Navy even did not plan to get its vessels afloat (in 2006 over 20 cruises, 2007 up to 30 and in 2006 - 29 cruises were carried out).
6. Peacekeeping activities: Ukrainian contingent in Liberia performed Rescue operation
Medical evacuation in adverse weather conditions was carried out by Mi-8MT helicopter (Ukrainian 56 independent helicopter unit of UNMIL in Liberia). Seriously ill Pakistani peacekeeper was retrieved from certain fate.
Comment: Pakistani peacekeepers are deployed in Voinjama area near Guinea border in a middle of upland and more then 220 km from Ukrainian base. Tropic shower was falling through the return of rescue team and its patient to Monrovia, where patient was handed over to Jordan medics.
7. Peacekeeping activities: Air patrolling over Ukrainian contingent AOR in Liberia
Ukrainian marine unit that is an element of “UkrPolBat” carried out air patrolling over Chtrptce region, which is its AOR in Kosovo.
Comment: The US unit of utility helicopters UH-60 “Blaсk Hawk” supported an operation. The main purpose was to familiarize Ukrainians with AOR. During patrolling peacekeepers accomplished detailed survey of “Ski Centre”, the resort area near Shar Planina, where arduous and protracted negotiations between Serb and Alban communities still are going on. Also they monitored segments of border with Macedonia.
8. International military cooperation: “BlackSeaFor” activation
On 11 Aug 2009 “BlackSeaFor” naval group left Bulgarian seaport Varna and harbored in Sebastopol naval base on 14 Aug 2009. Comment: Current “BlackSeaFor” naval group is formed with flagship the Bulgarian frigate “Smely”, Ukrainian C2 vessel “Slavutitch”, Russian amphibious ship “Cesar Kurnikoff”, Romanian corvette “Contr-admiral Machellariu” and Turkish frigate “Barbados”. During steaming the formation exercised several scenarios and training. An Agreement to shape the Black Sea cooperation was signed on 02 Apr 2001 in Istanbul by Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The main tasks of “BlackSeaFor” are to conduct search and rescue, humanitarian, countermining operations, environmental protection activity and mutual confidence building amongst treaty parties.
9. Military Equipment: low-pressure chamber put into operation
In Kharkiv Air University named after I.Kozhedub it was successfully tested and activated low-pressure chamber СBК-80. The chamber is designed for testing those candidates, who are going to join the AF in order to make an unbiased selection. Also this devise will be utilized to determine the current pilots’ fit to continue flying career.
Comment: The chamber was a dead storage before. It can accommodate four tests at a time. Recently more than 80 candidates and 15 pilot-cadets have passed a chamber test without any complications. In the past, all flying staff had to be tested at the Air Force Medical Center in Vinnitsa that took additional efforts, time and wasted funds.
Copyright © Defense and Security Policy Center
1. UAF Reformation: Disposal of unusable ammunition
On order # 928-p dated 05/08/09 the Government of Ukraine authorized “UkrSpecExport” (State export-import of military equipment company) to take under control a military station #60, that is located in Gruzevitsa in Khmelnitsk region. It was decided to transfer authority to form on site a temporary Disposal Center for unusable ammunition surplus.
Comment: The base to be handed over for the period of full disposal of ammunition by “Ukroboronservise” that is subsidiary enterprise of “UkrSpecExport”. It’s planned to drain both foreign and state investors’ funds without use of budget money. The Government of Ukraine entrusted MoD to maintain a Center fully operational. By this time over 460 thousand ton of unserviceable ammunition are stored at the all kinds armories and depots throughout a country (10.08.09 MIGnews.com.ua; 10.08.09 ukrinform.ua). On the other hand, due to shortage of funds the MoD is unable to put a needless staff into converter at full-blast because it will definitely exceed expenses planned for this purpose in the year 2009.
2. Professionalism of the UAF: Entrance examinations to UAF Sergeant College
13 Aug 2009 the entrance campaign to UAF Sergeant College have started. The new College is an educational installation with II level of accreditation has become a part of Kharkiv National technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”.
Comment: A new structure consists of two faculties. First one will train medium (company – battalion) level of sergeant staff through studying period of 2.5 years, another one is advanced training with 6 month term. The reformation of Sergeant Center into Military College takes place under implementation of UAF project to build layered architecture of training system for junior command personnel. The reshaping has an aim to mend training system, develop qualification and education and also to build up an entirely new Sergeant Corps. This becomes a next step at the transition of UAF to professional army, create a balance between officers and sergeants in accordance with NATO standards.
3. Professionalism of the UAF: Recruiting of contract soldiers
Recruiting Centers of the Area Command “Pivnich” of Land Force of UAF recruited over 35% of planned number.
Comment: There were contracted 763 youths (plan was 2 267). In particular: Zhitomir Recruiting Center contracted 122 persons; Chernigiv – 131; Kiev -108; Kharkiv and Cherkassy – 106; Poltava – 101 and Sumy – 91. New contractors were assigned to: Army – 345; AF – 226 and Navy – 45. The rest 149 were posted to those units that are under command of the General Staff. Recruiting Centers are new agencies for hiring contract-soldiers for UAF and profiting with totally new approach of selection for military service. This has been proved by the social research “Determination of Priorities that inspire to come for military contract service” carried out by “Defence Line” together with Defense and Security Policy Center. According to this research, the Area Recruiting Centers are currently ranking forth position among those sources, which advertising a military service (i.e.14.97%). At the top (46.8%) are former servicemen, second position (31.33%) occupy friends, peers, and third (15.92%) – broadcasting.
4. Military Education: Defense Attaché Academy establishment
The Government of Ukraine by its resolution #836 dated 05 Aug 2009 has decided to rename the Joint Institute of the National Academy of Ukraine to Defense Attaché Academy.
Comment: Academy establishment is linking to military education reformation in the context of European and Euro Atlantic integration Policy and purposed to strengthen future military cooperation.
5. Combat Training: Staff Exercise without troops
Several Air Mobile and Army Aviation units from Land Force of UAF and AD units from AF of UAF conducted Staff exercise without troops in the period from 10th to 14th Aug 2009. Since the limited funds availability now, such exercise is becoming a main method of training.
Comment: The purpose is to train units for prepare and conduct operations, practice command and control during battle and consolidate team work of staff members’. Limited budget hinders units to have proper practical drills. Minimum planned needs to organize field (troops) exercises in 2009 amounted to 36.3% of defence budget, while now at MoD disposal is only 9.6% (when in 2007 and 2008 was assigned as 14.6% and 15.3% respectively). As a result of cut funding, in this year all tactical exercise of company size units were cancelled (in 2008 over 30 field exercise were conducted). The only Ukrainian Air Force crews of the alert units conduct flights, when Ukrainian Navy even did not plan to get its vessels afloat (in 2006 over 20 cruises, 2007 up to 30 and in 2006 - 29 cruises were carried out).
6. Peacekeeping activities: Ukrainian contingent in Liberia performed Rescue operation
Medical evacuation in adverse weather conditions was carried out by Mi-8MT helicopter (Ukrainian 56 independent helicopter unit of UNMIL in Liberia). Seriously ill Pakistani peacekeeper was retrieved from certain fate.
Comment: Pakistani peacekeepers are deployed in Voinjama area near Guinea border in a middle of upland and more then 220 km from Ukrainian base. Tropic shower was falling through the return of rescue team and its patient to Monrovia, where patient was handed over to Jordan medics.
7. Peacekeeping activities: Air patrolling over Ukrainian contingent AOR in Liberia
Ukrainian marine unit that is an element of “UkrPolBat” carried out air patrolling over Chtrptce region, which is its AOR in Kosovo.
Comment: The US unit of utility helicopters UH-60 “Blaсk Hawk” supported an operation. The main purpose was to familiarize Ukrainians with AOR. During patrolling peacekeepers accomplished detailed survey of “Ski Centre”, the resort area near Shar Planina, where arduous and protracted negotiations between Serb and Alban communities still are going on. Also they monitored segments of border with Macedonia.
8. International military cooperation: “BlackSeaFor” activation
On 11 Aug 2009 “BlackSeaFor” naval group left Bulgarian seaport Varna and harbored in Sebastopol naval base on 14 Aug 2009. Comment: Current “BlackSeaFor” naval group is formed with flagship the Bulgarian frigate “Smely”, Ukrainian C2 vessel “Slavutitch”, Russian amphibious ship “Cesar Kurnikoff”, Romanian corvette “Contr-admiral Machellariu” and Turkish frigate “Barbados”. During steaming the formation exercised several scenarios and training. An Agreement to shape the Black Sea cooperation was signed on 02 Apr 2001 in Istanbul by Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The main tasks of “BlackSeaFor” are to conduct search and rescue, humanitarian, countermining operations, environmental protection activity and mutual confidence building amongst treaty parties.
9. Military Equipment: low-pressure chamber put into operation
In Kharkiv Air University named after I.Kozhedub it was successfully tested and activated low-pressure chamber СBК-80. The chamber is designed for testing those candidates, who are going to join the AF in order to make an unbiased selection. Also this devise will be utilized to determine the current pilots’ fit to continue flying career.
Comment: The chamber was a dead storage before. It can accommodate four tests at a time. Recently more than 80 candidates and 15 pilot-cadets have passed a chamber test without any complications. In the past, all flying staff had to be tested at the Air Force Medical Center in Vinnitsa that took additional efforts, time and wasted funds.
Copyright © Defense and Security Policy Center
